This car (Corvette) is in the class and of legends, it looks better than 95 percent of the cars made today. You sir have a gem. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍. She is definitely a keeper.
Love the old dudes in their C4 vettes. Hard to get in and out, hard ride but ain't gonna spend the extra money for a C5! 80's styling is awesome and well liked by the now much more mature Material Girls! No expensive shockers needed to cruise because the eyes and reflexes are not what they were when you first fell in love with the 1984 Vette. Feel the wind blowing through the hair left on the side of the head. Wish I could have the old mullet back! Old dudes rule!
i have a 94 corvette that i have had for 14 years i also replaced all my shocks with the KYB also replaced my rear leaf spring bushings while i had all the wheels off --- now please do not take this the wrong way i never knock anyones ride --- i can very much say that i know about bad roads --- after watching your video i think my car went down the road better with my old shocks then yours seem to do with new shocks --- if i were you i would check for other problems --ball joints --stabilizer bushings front and back -- hope all is ok and i am wrong ---all i have to go by is your video ---good luck and stay safe---- also great video
Thanks for the info. You make a good point. I have some evidence the bushings are less than perfect for sure (some squeaks on hot days), but the ball joints seem OK and the steering is tight. That said, some of the roads here really are awful. We ended up changing the springs and shocks on my wife's _new_ mini-van after just a year of dealing with its jarring ride in our area of town. It went from bumpy to bouncy is about all I can say. Without ride-leveling design on the van (which we unfortunately didn't know about), even our lighter springs were not enough. How long does it take to do the bushings?
it doesn't take long to change the bushings --a good half day -- if this is something that you have never done before it would be good for you to watch a video or two on youtube --it is not a hard job that can be done with regular tools --a couple of jacks and jack stands --- if you can spray all your bolts the day before with some pb blaster penetrating oil it will really help----e-bay has some great deals for good nylon bushing--the rear leaf spring bushing kit is called rear spring cushion kit--take yor time and you will glad that you changed them---i live on cape cod and i have driven my vette to florida--tenn and some messed up roads in new hampshire --i feel that it goes down the road just as good if not better then 14 years ago--good luck and stay safe my friend
Thanks. Yes. While it has 115K miles, I was lucky to find it (on Ebay where tons of photos and a known seller of it gave me enough confidence to 'import' it from California :-) I'm trying to fix little things as they arise and make it even better over time so the next owner (someday) will feel the same. I even kept the original shocks and actuators in case someone wants to rebuild them in the future :-)
Should have no dramas selling those as a set, i'd grab them myself but my car is a Callaway and has the FX3 shocks slightly modded to take the coilovers.
I have replaced many sets of dampers over the years, and have seen the change in ride-height effect many times. The higher the gas pressure in the shock, the bigger the potential change in height. If the old ones have lost all their pressure, or were not pressurized to begin with, you will see the greatest change after replacement. Your initial ride-height measurement was no doubt done right after you lowered the car back onto the ground, but before the car had moved. In that situation, the suspension and tires are not fully relaxed - there is some binding or tension in the suspension bushings and also the tires. This is due to the fact that the suspension movement involves arcs; in other words the wheels don't go straight up and down. Long story short, once the car has a chance to roll a bit, that tension is released. So your later measurement is an accurate representation of the true change in ride-height, while the initial measurement is not.
I'm thinking about purchasing a c4 n" your video for shock absorbers is very helpful to me. what it means is shock absorbers are fairly easy to replace. Also you do not have to replace that ride system, that's not bad. Cool
It appears that lots of things help. Earlier this year, I replaced the tires with Michelin PilotSport A/S 4 types and it improved even further. Previous tires were decade+ old Firestones. I liked the look of them, and the handling, but the new A/S 4 tires help soften small bumps, so some road surfaces feel much better. Bigger bumps/holes are still somewhat harsh though. Maybe the springs would help that? (I know in the '87 models the rates were very high and they backed them off the next year. This is a '92. But another commenter noted that I do have the HD suspension... Build sheet shows FE7 )
Thanks very much for taking the time to reply MegawattKS. I just bought a 1990 and it's my first Vette. I'm planning on some non FX3 shocks. I've been checking the forums for recommendations. I've been playing around cars all my life, but I can see the Corvette is going to be a different animal. Thanks again for your help....Gary
When you lift your car off the ground and set it back down it'll sit higher than usual. After driving around a bit it will settle down normally. This is fairly common across most cars except for those with air ride they'll settle way down after having been lifted and set back down.
I’m in the process of replacing all the bushings on my 95 Black C4. Car has 39 k on it, and obviously sitting causes dry rot. I think my Shocks are good, just a little too loose on bumps. Nice car!
Great review, I am gping to replace my shocks in my 1990 with QA1 and it was helpful to see this first. I am also considering ditching the leaf springs for a coilover system from Vansteel.
Wow, that brings back memories. Your car looks practically identical to mine except mine was black. I had the exact same rims that were polished to a mirror finish. I don't know what it is about that style Vette (dark color) that goes with those stock wheels that are chromed that makes the car pop but it does. And I pray to God that yours are chrome and not polished like mine where. I couldn't tell you how many hours of polishing it took after I unknowingly turned my mirror finish into a milky white haze after I cleaned them with chrome cleaner. Took about 12 hours per wheel of polishing to bring them back to their mirror shine. Chrome cleaner kills polished wheels!!! I didn't know that at the time.
Thanks for the warning on the wheels. Fortunately, mine were chromed by a former owner (and it has held-up amazingly well). I agree, I really like this style wheel, and even the C4 body style. Love the clam shell hood thing and the hiding headlights ! Someday I may get a C7, but I have to say the C4 is perfect for me now.
it went down because the shocks and load on suspension was off. when tires come off ground car will always be higher until you drive it and settle it. It has more to do with the A-arms settling back down with the bushings. Shocks might have some play on height if the old shocks were blown out .
Great video and great data to back up what you are feeling as you drive. I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but the Corvette you have has what is called the Z07 package. This is what the option on your window sticker shows as "adjustable performance and handling package". This is not just the fx3 adjustable suspension which could be added as a separate option without the heavy duty suspension. This was considered the racing suspension option that very few corvettes had. This option not only gave you the fx3 adjustable shocks it also came with much stiffer springs and bushings. The fx3 controller that came with the package was also tuned different for this setup. It also came with different sway bars from the base car. This package also gave you the bigger front brakes which are rpo code j55 that you see in the build sheet. All of these pieces together make for an amazing handling car, but not great for cruising. While I understand the reason why you went with the shock you did. It's just unfortunate that you have this particular corvette with the Z07 option. As it is going to be difficult to make it ride much smoother without replacing a lot of the suspension. But in the end just enjoy your car the best you can.
Thanks for the information !! I wasn't aware the car had the Z07 package / racing suspension. That's actually really cool - even given what it implies about the limits for toning down the ride :-) Glad I kept the old shocks and controllers in case someone want's to rebuild them someday. I'll have to dig more into the Z07 and learn more.
@@MegawattKS Here is a chart that has all the details about the suspensions used on c4 corvettes. www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c4/1984-1996-corvette-suspension.html Also if you open the center console of your car and look at the bottom of the lid you should see the rpo sticker. It will list all the option codes your car came with. You should see a code Z07 on yours.
I replaced the still working 27 year old FX3 Bilsteins on my 93 with non asdjustable Bilsteins and couldn't be happier especially with low speed about town driving. What is the radio head unit you installed...it looks like a perfect fit.
Sounds like an excellent choice ! The radio is a Jensen VX7020. I was lucky that a previous owner had already changed out the original and installed new speaker wiring - otherwise it would have been a bigger job. It did fit, but just barely. Here's the whole story :-) th-cam.com/video/w7wkTAyuNk4/w-d-xo.html
I have a 90 Corvette that I put the same shocks on this past summer. I also have the Z51 and FX3 system (which works!). Ride is very smooth on the highway...almost like a Cadillac. BUT, when you take hard corners (I occasionally do track touring sessions at Road America) the car has severe body roll. I was rather surprised. So over the winter I think I will be sending my original Bilsteins in to have them rebuilt, and put them on in spring. Nice video!
Thanks. I've never done hard corners on a track, but that's what those nicer Bilsteins are made for :-) I did notice that my actuators seemed to have broken gear-sockets in them too. At least that's what it looked like. I've kept everything for the next owner so they can do that too (when I get too old to drive a Corvette ;-) !
I just bought a C5 with the FX3 system. How did your rebuilds go? I don't know if my system works or not. The only drive I had was about 90 miles home in a cold Feb. rain. I didn't notice any difference when I switched it. The ride was NOT like a Cadillac (I HAVE a Cadillac) but it wasn't uncomfortable either. Is a Bilstein rebuild worth it?
Thanks. Looks great in some lighting conditions, but muddy in others. Interestingly they brought it back in the 2017 C7. It's called "Black Rose Metallic". They also brought back the general style of the C4 interior which was modeled after an airplane cockpit. Who knows, maybe the much maligned C4 will experience a resurgence in popularity thanks to the C7 ? (probably not - since the exterior styling is all-important and is still very different).
Thank you SO much! I downloaded it and will use it to test my Vette. I think it has original shocks on it, so it would be great to know whether or not I really need to replace them and whether if I put on new ones it will really get better. I think it has Bilsteins now, but it is an old car, even though low mileage. I think maybe just being old, the shocks might need replacing. Don't know...
Hmm..my 1992 C4 Corvette rides choppier than all get out. It is equipped with the 'adjustable ride control' which does not work in my example: it is permanently set at 'tour' which still has a pretty stiff ride; I feel every crack and bump in the road. I'm getting a 'service ride control' warning on the display panel too so I know the ride control is not working properly. This is good info I plan to get the ride control serviced along with new shocks soon. I can live with it as is but one of those things to get addressed.
Excellent point ! I noticed that on our van which came with some pretty hard riding proxy tires. I even deflated them to 22 psi one time to try to improve the ride, but in that case, no luck. Fortunately they didn't last real long and we got some "ComfortTreds" and they made the van so much nicer ! The Corvette ride definitely degrades a bit with more air (I have them at 35 psi for the coming winter and noticed they are more harsh). In the video before and after though, they were unchanged - so the shocks help too :-)
Shocks should have ZERO affect on ride height. Shocks do not support the car or bear the load. The only reason the shock is sitting higher is because of the nitrogen gas in the shock which is there to keep the oil under pressure so it doesn't cavitate in the shock body. Supporting the car is 100% the job of the springs, the shocks simply control the oscillations of the spring, turning the up and down motion into heat. KYB GR2 are a very entry level shock with extremely mild damping, and really don't belong on a Corvette. Why even purchase a Corvette if you are looking for a Cadillac ride? The whole point of the C4 was that it was an amazing handler! GR2s belong on minivans, not Corvettes. I would have gone for the OEM Bilsteins or Konis. Furthermore, the shocks need to be matched to the spring rate. No doubt in my mind the compression & rebound of GR2 are far too light for the high rate springs of your C4. Spring rate has a lot to do with ride quality. Even if you matched the shocks perfectly to the spring rate, if the rate is very heavy the ride will be terrible. That is just how it is.
That is not completely true. As you said, the gas in the shock is present, and a higher pressure (newer) shock will present more force between the bottom and top shock mounts. The bottom height is fixed by wheel/tire/linkage numbers. The top will be forced up (slightly) by higher pressure in the shock. Spring force is k*x - so if the spring does not have to support a portion of the weight (force), then the compression length x will decrease and the car will sit higher. In this case, I saw about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long term, after the initial settling. And I agree - you can't expect a caddy ride without changing the springs, which is not desirable and not an option after the vehicle is designed. Newer vettes do strive for some improvement in both ride and performance through more advanced engineering (e.g. electronic control that partially gets around the basic spring-mass-damper system limitation). The KYBs do not deliver a cushy ride. What they did do is provide better control by better damping within the 90's tech system (because the old ones were worn out). Hence both the ride and the performance improved (noticeably, but not night and day). Would new Bilsteins be better? Probably. But my goal was to make a compromise and I am happy with the result (and savings of about $800).
Like I said, shocks DO NOT support the car or bear the load. The nitrogen charge in the shocks adds to the spring rate an inconsequential amount, that is not what it is for. And you can rationalize your purchase of cheap shocks all you want, it doesn't change the fact that they are poorly matched to the spring rate which will give you neither a decent ride nor the wheel control that contributes to good road-holding.
Jay I basically heard the same of which you're saying. Have a 96 pushing almost 200ks and he informed me if I change the springs it would make a world of difference. When I bought it with less than 24ks it not only rode great but it still smelled brand new. Took it on 1000 miles road trips and enjoyed myself watching the scenery because of the quietness and ride. I'm sure also everything else needs rebuilding, ball joints, bushing, etc. My biggest problem is stock springs are NOT attainable, trust me I've searched and I can only find used ones on eBay. However there's aftermarket systems out there but how do you really pick the right spring rate for your application. Many claims great ride but when you're doing a job like this you want to get it right the first time. If you or anyone else reading this have a better insight on available new stocks or how to pick the correct aftermarket shoot me a reply. Thanks...
"Why even purchase a Corvette if you are looking for a Cadillac ride?" Because I love the looks of a Corvette, and the acceleration of a Corvette. I don't like the harsh ride, but I tolerate it for the first two reasons. I like to accelerate hard, and hear the sound of the Corvette's engine. I don't take it to the track and I don't take corners at greatly elevated speeds. 10/10ths cornering, or even 7/10s cornering is probably never going to take place with me at the wheel. At my age, comfort is becoming a factor. Yes, I know I could buy other cars more suited for fulfilling all my requirements, but they wouldn't have the Corvette look. And the price range of the C4 is right on target with my budget. I don't know much about shocks or spring rates, but if I could soften the ride of my C4, I would gladly give up the high cornering limits. Again, I'll never approach them on public roads. He wants a better ride. I couldn't agree more. To each their own, and for their own reasons.
Very clean C4. Too bad about the FX3. When it comes to old chevy's, a nice base stripper is best. All the gee whiz stuff that's so cool when new turns on you with age. And then there's the Optispark. First year of the first generation non-vented Optispark in your case. Bless your heart. I've had a '95, and have a '96 so I feel your pain. There's good reason that these cars cost less than a '73 Pinto. LOL.
The reason it didn’t go further down is simply because of tire friction to the floor. The wheels move in as they extend, and when they come back on the ground they want to go out, but can’t because of friction. Roll it back and forth a few meters and they will be the correct height. Alternatively you can have low friction surfaces (metal plates with oil in between) and it should settle.
Nice adding a little science to the install, thanks I am about to install new shocks. Did you polish your wheels? Mine is the same style, just stock finish, which is a bit pitted. I expected it to settle after install, that is pretty normal.
Thanks. The wheels were already Chromed by a previous owner - so I can't take any credit for that. It was about 15 or 20 years ago, but they've held up well :-)
Sounds like your hoods not shut down all the way at the 16:40 time line the test drive after the shocks were put on. You also might want to change all the bushings on the car “ALL” of them bushings are my next project I have a 1986 corvette official pace car. And when I drive it , it will beat the shit out of me .
Thanks! They are actually the original wheels on the '92 model Corvette, but a previous owner had them chromed about 15 or 20 years ago. They've held up well ! :-)
Thanks. No alignment - I don't think it changed anything significant about the front stance - and even the rear height settled back to close to where it had been. One comment on making measurements like this: The tablet needs to be secured to the floor well so it's not bouncing itself. I tried to do this with some old blue jeans to add some light weight on it. I think they're visible in some of the shots of the 'after' measurements :-)
@@MegawattKS I am in process of buying a 1993 Corvette, and your info is very welcome. Can you tell me the name of that program, and whether it runs on Android?
@@moodberry A good year ('93). My '92 was the first year of the LT1, but fortunately it seems to have been pretty stable, despite being a new design. The "Optispark" gets a lot of hate, but its one of those things that was fixed I think. (and mine was replaced and has been OK - even though I had an ignition problem, I traced it to the coil/ICM and avoided the trap of thinking everything is an optispark problem ;-) ) Back to your question - yes I was running it on an Android tablet. The one I was using is called "Accelerometer Meter" by keuwlsoft. Seems to still be available in the Play store although when I install it now it says it hasn't been updated for my phone's Android version (10). But it seems to still work. When using the Graph mode, when you stop and select Save, it saves to the root directory. I am able to see the txt file when my phone is plugged into my Windows PC - at the top-level directory just as it said...
Thanks. I got the car about 5 years ago from southern CA and this is the way it came. They were "chromed" at some point is my understanding - although I can't seem to find the receipt now for some reason. They definitely seem to be chrome rather than just polished. Sorry I don't have better info.
Kyb are better for cruising but if you want to take a corner bilsteins are better i changed mine to kyb it road less ruff but did not handle as well as the stiffer stock bilsteins when i pushed my vette a hard right into a corner the kybs in front extended up & the passenger front tire started wheel hoping up and down because the kybs extended and that tire lost traction bilsteins would Not have done that they would have kept that tire planted to the ground thats why they come stock GM wants the vette to handle best it can.
Sorry for the delay in replying. I'll have to think about that one. All I can offer now is that I read up on it as much as I could and am always very careful not to hurt myself or the car. You might try Corvette Forum bulletin boards (which may show up in a Google search).
Thanks. Have you done a push-on-the fender test to see if its the shocks vs springs?. Mine was more of an unsettled (rattle'y ride) than a hard ride. The old shocks were letting it 'ring' too long (about 2 or 3 down-up-down movements before it settled) The new ones helped by decreasing that to just a single down-up (critically damped system). Alas it didn't change the harshness going over some sharp bumps. Still a good cornering car, and that's the price to be paid :-)
Excellent video, appreciate the quantitative data along with the subjective impressions. Now that you have had the shocks in the car for several months, are you still happy with them, and has the car returned completely to the pre-change ride height has it settled lower?
Thanks. Interesting question. I just ran to the garage and checked. It's still sitting at 27.0 inches - so no change after the initial settling. I am definitely still happy with the shocks. The ride has gotten no worse and no better since they were installed, and I still feel the ride is much improved over the 26 year old Bilsteins removed in the vid, without noticeable loss of cornering (but I'm not a track person). But I'm hanging onto those in case someone in the future wants to refurb them and the actuators. Won't be me though. I like the KYBs :-)
Appreciate the response. I am considering the KYB to replace my Bilsteins since I not longer compete with the car and they are a little harsh. Mine 1990 Z51 was Autocrossed for twenty years with four championships on her, but I have returned her to street use only since rebuilding the engine after blowing it up during a Pro Solo. I still want good handling, and don't expect sedan ride profiles. The cost savings on the KYB over the replacement Bilsteins is significant now that I am retired. Thanks again for the response.
@@MegawattKS now that you are through the summer and getting ready to put her away for the winter, do you have an update on the performance of the shocks? Thanks.
@@ThorinOakenshieldGSD2023 Fortunately I don't have to put her away for the winter. We don't have snow (or salt) on the ground very often in the winter and as long as it stays near or above freezing, I still take her out on weekends if the roads are clear :-) On the shocks issue I haven't noticed any changes, so I'm still happy with them (not that there was a night-and-day change other than improving the damping - springs are still what they are). If you decide to try them, I hope you find them to provide what you're looking for. If nothing else, they are cheap (and made by a company that's big enough that I feel like they're OK). As you can see in the video, they aren't quite as beefy as the Bilsteins, and the hub-attach on the fronts is a little cheaper (notches instead of holes). But for somewhat spirited and non-spirited driving around town, they've been great.
Assuming we're talking about the warning light - I was fortunate that someone had already disabled it (don't know how unfortunately). At least I tested to see what would happen by pulling the plug to an actuator before I started the job and no light came on. So it was disabled, or maybe the system didn't see an open circuit as an issue ?
Great use of an accelerometer in a tablet. I wonder if you used a smaller Android device with less weight / mass if you might get more granular data? Thx for doing the research, we also need new shocks on our C4 and are overwhelmed at all the choices.
Great question. It's definitely important to know if we're seeing the tablet-bounce or the wheel/car bounce in the graphs. A phone might give somewhat different results (I would guess higher-frequency accelerometer noise). The granularity (in time) was limited by the App's max storage and hence time / sample-rate. I think it was sampling fast enough. But I wish I had better dampened the tablet in the earlier trials before changing the shocks. Later I threw some old bluejeans on top of it to try to press it down better. That could account for some of the improvements seen in the before and after - but I'm still convinced it feels much better to the driver after the shocks were changed, so I think the data is generally valid (although the apparent wheel-hop frequency does seem a little high relative to what Dave McLellan's "Corvette from the Inside" book suggests ...).
Yes. For my use I'm definitely happy with the results. I don't put that many miles on the car, and don't do track. But for around town enjoyment of the Corvette machine, I feel like they provide a good compromise. The car still corners better than any other car I've used, and the ride is noticeably better. But they will not make a night-and-day difference in the ride. They just settled it very nicely. Hard springs are still there of course. And the new shocks are not as beefy as the originals, as can be seen in the video - so maybe not great for track use?
What was the name of that website you mention? Sounded like ONStar... I have a 93 C4 and am always looking for info. I used the same KYB shocks, btw. I agree, they're not miraculous but an improvement. Cool data you collected, thanks for sharing it.
The guy's TH-cam channel is "Ozzstar". He has lots of videos on cars, but only some are for the C4 Corvette. Here's one: I like his 'sidekick' he call "Chaos". We all have known him at some point or another as we try to remove bolts/etc. Here's one of his vids: th-cam.com/video/MLmobQfZ43c/w-d-xo.html . Hope you enjoy your C4 as much as I do mine !
Go here www.corvettemuseum.org/learn/library-archives/build-sheets-window-stickers/ - or maybe give them (National Covette Museum) a call if you don't want to order over the internet. I'm sure they will be happy to help. :-) In either case, you'll need the car's VIN which you can find on the driver-side base of the windshield (or a few other places like in the vehicle registration/etc.). Couldn't hurt to cross-check to be sure the numbers are recorded precisely.
I have no display on the driver info panel above the climate-controls, and nothing reported in the diagnostic readouts. BUT - I didn't have any lights before either, and as far as I can tell, the actuators were not working. Which lead me to believe that perhaps a previous owner (or shop) took out the bulb for the selective-ride-control stuff. I think there is a test it does each time you start up the car (operating and sensing the shock-control rotation angle). I did check it immediately after unplugging the front actuators and nothing lit up :-)
Agreed (gears stripped), but the shocks were shot too. 26 years and 112,000 miles took their toll on those Bilsteins. The damping was too light (multiple bounces after pushing down). Now the damping is restored and after driving it for a few months I can honestly say it is both more comfortable and better controlled in spirited driving :-)
![ประสบการณ์ จ้าง Developer ที่ผมจะไม่มีวันลืม [ภาค2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pZbsSDRrmXA/mqdefault.jpg)
This car (Corvette) is in the class and of legends, it looks better than 95 percent of the cars made today. You sir have a gem. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍. She is definitely a keeper.
Love the old dudes in their C4 vettes. Hard to get in and out, hard ride but ain't gonna spend the extra money for a C5! 80's styling is awesome and well liked by the now much more mature Material Girls! No expensive shockers needed to cruise because the eyes and reflexes are not what they were when you first fell in love with the 1984 Vette. Feel the wind blowing through the hair left on the side of the head. Wish I could have the old mullet back! Old dudes rule!
i have a 94 corvette that i have had for 14 years i also replaced all my shocks with the KYB also replaced my rear leaf spring bushings while i had all the wheels off --- now please do not take this the wrong way i never knock anyones ride --- i can very much say that i know about bad roads --- after watching your video i think my car went down the road better with my old shocks then yours seem to do with new shocks --- if i were you i would check for other problems --ball joints --stabilizer bushings front and back -- hope all is ok and i am wrong ---all i have to go by is your video ---good luck and stay safe---- also great video
Thanks for the info. You make a good point. I have some evidence the bushings are less than perfect for sure (some squeaks on hot days), but the ball joints seem OK and the steering is tight. That said, some of the roads here really are awful. We ended up changing the springs and shocks on my wife's _new_ mini-van after just a year of dealing with its jarring ride in our area of town. It went from bumpy to bouncy is about all I can say. Without ride-leveling design on the van (which we unfortunately didn't know about), even our lighter springs were not enough. How long does it take to do the bushings?
it doesn't take long to change the bushings --a good half day -- if this is something that you have never done before it would be good for you to watch a video or two on youtube --it is not a hard job that can be done with regular tools --a couple of jacks and jack stands --- if you can spray all your bolts the day before with some pb blaster penetrating oil it will really help----e-bay has some great deals for good nylon bushing--the rear leaf spring bushing kit is called rear spring cushion kit--take yor time and you will glad that you changed them---i live on cape cod and i have driven my vette to florida--tenn and some messed up roads in new hampshire --i feel that it goes down the road just as good if not better then 14 years ago--good luck and stay safe my friend
Thanks ! Good info :)
Mate that car really looks to be in great condition!! Someone has taken very good care of that. I have a 93 6 speed vert myself.
Thanks. Yes. While it has 115K miles, I was lucky to find it (on Ebay where tons of photos and a known seller of it gave me enough confidence to 'import' it from California :-) I'm trying to fix little things as they arise and make it even better over time so the next owner (someday) will feel the same. I even kept the original shocks and actuators in case someone wants to rebuild them in the future :-)
Should have no dramas selling those as a set, i'd grab them myself but my car is a Callaway and has the FX3 shocks slightly modded to take the coilovers.
I have replaced many sets of dampers over the years, and have seen the change in ride-height effect many times. The higher the gas pressure in the shock, the bigger the potential change in height. If the old ones have lost all their pressure, or were not pressurized to begin with, you will see the greatest change after replacement.
Your initial ride-height measurement was no doubt done right after you lowered the car back onto the ground, but before the car had moved. In that situation, the suspension and tires are not fully relaxed - there is some binding or tension in the suspension bushings and also the tires. This is due to the fact that the suspension movement involves arcs; in other words the wheels don't go straight up and down. Long story short, once the car has a chance to roll a bit, that tension is released. So your later measurement is an accurate representation of the true change in ride-height, while the initial measurement is not.
Looking at buying one just like yours. Same year, color, and options
I love the polished saw blades!
This is a VERY well done video. Great stuff.
I'm thinking about purchasing a c4 n" your video for shock absorbers is very helpful to me. what it means is shock absorbers are fairly easy to replace. Also you do not have to replace that ride system, that's not bad. Cool
Time for softer springs. Going from 2 cps to 1.8 makes a big difference
It appears that lots of things help. Earlier this year, I replaced the tires with Michelin PilotSport A/S 4 types and it improved even further. Previous tires were decade+ old Firestones. I liked the look of them, and the handling, but the new A/S 4 tires help soften small bumps, so some road surfaces feel much better. Bigger bumps/holes are still somewhat harsh though. Maybe the springs would help that? (I know in the '87 models the rates were very high and they backed them off the next year. This is a '92. But another commenter noted that I do have the HD suspension... Build sheet shows FE7 )
Thanks very much for taking the time to reply MegawattKS. I just bought a 1990 and it's my first Vette. I'm planning on some non FX3 shocks. I've been checking the forums for recommendations. I've been playing around cars all my life, but I can see the Corvette is going to be a different animal. Thanks again for your help....Gary
When you lift your car off the ground and set it back down it'll sit higher than usual. After driving around a bit it will settle down normally. This is fairly common across most cars except for those with air ride they'll settle way down after having been lifted and set back down.
Nicely done. Love your quantitative approach. You must be an engineer!
I’m in the process of replacing all the bushings on my 95 Black C4. Car has 39 k on it, and obviously sitting causes dry rot. I think my Shocks are good, just a little too loose on bumps. Nice car!
Great review, I am gping to replace my shocks in my 1990 with QA1 and it was helpful to see this first. I am also considering ditching the leaf springs for a coilover system from Vansteel.
Wow, that brings back memories. Your car looks practically identical to mine except mine was black. I had the exact same rims that were polished to a mirror finish. I don't know what it is about that style Vette (dark color) that goes with those stock wheels that are chromed that makes the car pop but it does.
And I pray to God that yours are chrome and not polished like mine where. I couldn't tell you how many hours of polishing it took after I unknowingly turned my mirror finish into a milky white haze after I cleaned them with chrome cleaner. Took about 12 hours per wheel of polishing to bring them back to their mirror shine.
Chrome cleaner kills polished wheels!!! I didn't know that at the time.
Thanks for the warning on the wheels. Fortunately, mine were chromed by a former owner (and it has held-up amazingly well). I agree, I really like this style wheel, and even the C4 body style. Love the clam shell hood thing and the hiding headlights ! Someday I may get a C7, but I have to say the C4 is perfect for me now.
it went down because the shocks and load on suspension was off. when tires come off ground car will always be higher until you drive it and settle it. It has more to do with the A-arms settling back down with the bushings. Shocks might have some play on height if the old shocks were blown out .
Sounds right. I think in the end it only gained 1/4 inch or so. The old shocks were pretty weak on pressure.
That's a really good looking car! I love the colour inside and out
Great video and great data to back up what you are feeling as you drive. I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but the Corvette you have has what is called the Z07 package. This is what the option on your window sticker shows as "adjustable performance and handling package". This is not just the fx3 adjustable suspension which could be added as a separate option without the heavy duty suspension. This was considered the racing suspension option that very few corvettes had. This option not only gave you the fx3 adjustable shocks it also came with much stiffer springs and bushings. The fx3 controller that came with the package was also tuned different for this setup. It also came with different sway bars from the base car. This package also gave you the bigger front brakes which are rpo code j55 that you see in the build sheet. All of these pieces together make for an amazing handling car, but not great for cruising. While I understand the reason why you went with the shock you did. It's just unfortunate that you have this particular corvette with the Z07 option. As it is going to be difficult to make it ride much smoother without replacing a lot of the suspension. But in the end just enjoy your car the best you can.
Thanks for the information !! I wasn't aware the car had the Z07 package / racing suspension. That's actually really cool - even given what it implies about the limits for toning down the ride :-) Glad I kept the old shocks and controllers in case someone want's to rebuild them someday. I'll have to dig more into the Z07 and learn more.
@@MegawattKS Here is a chart that has all the details about the suspensions used on c4 corvettes. www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c4/1984-1996-corvette-suspension.html
Also if you open the center console of your car and look at the bottom of the lid you should see the rpo sticker. It will list all the option codes your car came with. You should see a code Z07 on yours.
@@MegawattKS I have the z07 package and just ordered new fx3 bilsteins hopefully their as good as they say
Awesome video!! I just bought a 89 C4 and I am going to replace the shocks. Thanks for the video. 👍👍
I have an 89 also been sitting 15 years only 18,000 miles
Amazing Video. I really appreciate you 😎👍
Thanks :-)
I replaced the still working 27 year old FX3 Bilsteins on my 93 with non asdjustable Bilsteins and couldn't be happier especially with low speed about town driving.
What is the radio head unit you installed...it looks like a perfect fit.
Sounds like an excellent choice ! The radio is a Jensen VX7020. I was lucky that a previous owner had already changed out the original and installed new speaker wiring - otherwise it would have been a bigger job. It did fit, but just barely. Here's the whole story :-) th-cam.com/video/w7wkTAyuNk4/w-d-xo.html
Thank you, I just ordered a set of shocks few days ago, great timing.
You're welcome. I love using TH-cam to get previews of what one might see when they get into a job. Hope your shocks work out well.
@@MegawattKS what obd1 reader do you use? Or do you use the paper clip method?
Looks like you have the fire hawk indy tires, those have really good reviews for being a quiet tire
Awesome video. I really like the data at the end.
I have a 90 Corvette that I put the same shocks on this past summer. I also have the Z51 and FX3 system (which works!). Ride is very smooth on the highway...almost like a Cadillac. BUT, when you take hard corners (I occasionally do track touring sessions at Road America) the car has severe body roll. I was rather surprised. So over the winter I think I will be sending my original Bilsteins in to have them rebuilt, and put them on in spring. Nice video!
Thanks. I've never done hard corners on a track, but that's what those nicer Bilsteins are made for :-) I did notice that my actuators seemed to have broken gear-sockets in them too. At least that's what it looked like. I've kept everything for the next owner so they can do that too (when I get too old to drive a Corvette ;-) !
I just bought a C5 with the FX3 system. How did your rebuilds go?
I don't know if my system works or not. The only drive I had was about 90 miles home in a cold Feb. rain. I didn't notice any difference when I switched it. The ride was NOT like a Cadillac (I HAVE a Cadillac) but it wasn't uncomfortable either. Is a Bilstein rebuild worth it?
Great video, appreciate the detailed info.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback.
Beautiful car! I love that color!
Thanks. Looks great in some lighting conditions, but muddy in others. Interestingly they brought it back in the 2017 C7. It's called "Black Rose Metallic".
They also brought back the general style of the C4 interior which was modeled after an airplane cockpit. Who knows, maybe the much maligned C4 will experience a resurgence in popularity thanks to the C7 ? (probably not - since the exterior styling is all-important and is still very different).
nice car, reminds me of when I was a teenager...my uncle bought a slightly used 92 LT1/A4 in BRM but it had the regular silver sawblades (not chrome).
Thank you SO much! I downloaded it and will use it to test my Vette. I think it has original shocks on it, so it would be great to know whether or not I really need to replace them and whether if I put on new ones it will really get better. I think it has Bilsteins now, but it is an old car, even though low mileage. I think maybe just being old, the shocks might need replacing. Don't know...
Great job
Tyty for info have 92 with 106k miles original shocks, time for kyb ,very informative educational, enjoy
Hmm..my 1992 C4 Corvette rides choppier than all get out. It is equipped with the 'adjustable ride control' which does not work in my example: it is permanently set at 'tour' which still has a pretty stiff ride; I feel every crack and bump in the road. I'm getting a 'service ride control' warning on the display panel too so I know the ride control is not working properly. This is good info I plan to get the ride control serviced along with new shocks soon. I can live with it as is but one of those things to get addressed.
Very nice informative video. I have the same suspension in my car, and i know why you opted to replace the shocks.
Neat video. I’m happy with my KYB’s.
tires and how much psi you have in them is another thing to consider when going for a better ride quality.
Excellent point ! I noticed that on our van which came with some pretty hard riding proxy tires. I even deflated them to 22 psi one time to try to improve the ride, but in that case, no luck. Fortunately they didn't last real long and we got some "ComfortTreds" and they made the van so much nicer ! The Corvette ride definitely degrades a bit with more air (I have them at 35 psi for the coming winter and noticed they are more harsh). In the video before and after though, they were unchanged - so the shocks help too :-)
Shocks should have ZERO affect on ride height. Shocks do not support the car or bear the load. The only reason the shock is sitting higher is because of the nitrogen gas in the shock which is there to keep the oil under pressure so it doesn't cavitate in the shock body. Supporting the car is 100% the job of the springs, the shocks simply control the oscillations of the spring, turning the up and down motion into heat. KYB GR2 are a very entry level shock with extremely mild damping, and really don't belong on a Corvette. Why even purchase a Corvette if you are looking for a Cadillac ride? The whole point of the C4 was that it was an amazing handler! GR2s belong on minivans, not Corvettes. I would have gone for the OEM Bilsteins or Konis. Furthermore, the shocks need to be matched to the spring rate. No doubt in my mind the compression & rebound of GR2 are far too light for the high rate springs of your C4. Spring rate has a lot to do with ride quality. Even if you matched the shocks perfectly to the spring rate, if the rate is very heavy the ride will be terrible. That is just how it is.
That is not completely true. As you said, the gas in the shock is present, and a higher pressure (newer) shock will present more force between the bottom and top shock mounts. The bottom height is fixed by wheel/tire/linkage numbers. The top will be forced up (slightly) by higher pressure in the shock. Spring force is k*x - so if the spring does not have to support a portion of the weight (force), then the compression length x will decrease and the car will sit higher. In this case, I saw about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long term, after the initial settling.
And I agree - you can't expect a caddy ride without changing the springs, which is not desirable and not an option after the vehicle is designed. Newer vettes do strive for some improvement in both ride and performance through more advanced engineering (e.g. electronic control that partially gets around the basic spring-mass-damper system limitation). The KYBs do not deliver a cushy ride. What they did do is provide better control by better damping within the 90's tech system (because the old ones were worn out). Hence both the ride and the performance improved (noticeably, but not night and day). Would new Bilsteins be better? Probably. But my goal was to make a compromise and I am happy with the result (and savings of about $800).
Like I said, shocks DO NOT support the car or bear the load. The nitrogen charge in the shocks adds to the spring rate an inconsequential amount, that is not what it is for. And you can rationalize your purchase of cheap shocks all you want, it doesn't change the fact that they are poorly matched to the spring rate which will give you neither a decent ride nor the wheel control that contributes to good road-holding.
Jay I basically heard the same of which you're saying. Have a 96 pushing almost 200ks and he informed me if I change the springs it would make a world of difference. When I bought it with less than 24ks it not only rode great but it still smelled brand new. Took it on 1000 miles road trips and enjoyed myself watching the scenery because of the quietness and ride. I'm sure also everything else needs rebuilding, ball joints, bushing, etc. My biggest problem is stock springs are NOT attainable, trust me I've searched and I can only find used ones on eBay. However there's aftermarket systems out there but how do you really pick the right spring rate for your application. Many claims great ride but when you're doing a job like this you want to get it right the first time. If you or anyone else reading this have a better insight on available new stocks or how to pick the correct aftermarket shoot me a reply. Thanks...
"Why even purchase a Corvette if you are looking for a Cadillac ride?" Because I love the looks of a Corvette, and the acceleration of a Corvette. I don't like the harsh ride, but I tolerate it for the first two reasons. I like to accelerate hard, and hear the sound of the Corvette's engine. I don't take it to the track and I don't take corners at greatly elevated speeds. 10/10ths cornering, or even 7/10s cornering is probably never going to take place with me at the wheel. At my age, comfort is becoming a factor. Yes, I know I could buy other cars more suited for fulfilling all my requirements, but they wouldn't have the Corvette look. And the price range of the C4 is right on target with my budget. I don't know much about shocks or spring rates, but if I could soften the ride of my C4, I would gladly give up the high cornering limits. Again, I'll never approach them on public roads. He wants a better ride. I couldn't agree more. To each their own, and for their own reasons.
@@jaylestingi sounds like you got issues
Very clean C4. Too bad about the FX3. When it comes to old chevy's, a nice base stripper is best. All the gee whiz stuff that's so cool when new turns on you with age. And then there's the Optispark. First year of the first generation non-vented Optispark in your case. Bless your heart. I've had a '95, and have a '96 so I feel your pain. There's good reason that these cars cost less than a '73 Pinto. LOL.
The reason it didn’t go further down is simply because of tire friction to the floor. The wheels move in as they extend, and when they come back on the ground they want to go out, but can’t because of friction. Roll it back and forth a few meters and they will be the correct height. Alternatively you can have low friction surfaces (metal plates with oil in between) and it should settle.
beautiful car. I love black rose metallic paint and it is made for chrome accents. love it.
Very informative. I put KYB shocks on my 86 vette and they are working out nicely.
That car is an identical twin to mine --fun car!!!
Nice adding a little science to the install, thanks I am about to install new shocks. Did you polish your wheels? Mine is the same style, just stock finish, which is a bit pitted. I expected it to settle after install, that is pretty normal.
Thanks. The wheels were already Chromed by a previous owner - so I can't take any credit for that. It was about 15 or 20 years ago, but they've held up well :-)
Sounds like your hoods not shut down all the way at the 16:40 time line the test drive after the shocks were put on. You also might want to change all the bushings on the car “ALL” of them bushings are my next project I have a 1986 corvette official pace car. And when I drive it , it will beat the shit out of me .
Beautiful corvette
I love those rims!! What model are they?
Thanks! They are actually the original wheels on the '92 model Corvette, but a previous owner had them chromed about 15 or 20 years ago. They've held up well ! :-)
@@MegawattKS Beautiful
EXCELLENT data. None of this "it just feels better to me" stuff. Just curious, but did you have to do an alignment after replacement?
Thanks. No alignment - I don't think it changed anything significant about the front stance - and even the rear height settled back to close to where it had been. One comment on making measurements like this: The tablet needs to be secured to the floor well so it's not bouncing itself. I tried to do this with some old blue jeans to add some light weight on it. I think they're visible in some of the shots of the 'after' measurements :-)
@@MegawattKS I am in process of buying a 1993 Corvette, and your info is very welcome. Can you tell me the name of that program, and whether it runs on Android?
@@moodberry A good year ('93). My '92 was the first year of the LT1, but fortunately it seems to have been pretty stable, despite being a new design. The "Optispark" gets a lot of hate, but its one of those things that was fixed I think. (and mine was replaced and has been OK - even though I had an ignition problem, I traced it to the coil/ICM and avoided the trap of thinking everything is an optispark problem ;-) ) Back to your question - yes I was running it on an Android tablet. The one I was using is called "Accelerometer Meter" by keuwlsoft. Seems to still be available in the Play store although when I install it now it says it hasn't been updated for my phone's Android version (10). But it seems to still work. When using the Graph mode, when you stop and select Save, it saves to the root directory. I am able to see the txt file when my phone is plugged into my Windows PC - at the top-level directory just as it said...
Also - its pretty easy to run. But you may have to 'pinch' the screen to rescale it if it pegs one of the XYZ axis g-force plots to the top...
hey I love the wheels did you polish them yourself? What was your process? Thanks.
Thanks. I got the car about 5 years ago from southern CA and this is the way it came. They were "chromed" at some point is my understanding - although I can't seem to find the receipt now for some reason. They definitely seem to be chrome rather than just polished. Sorry I don't have better info.
@@MegawattKS thanks for the reply. I really want to see more pics of your car. Do you have a gallery anywhere?? Thanks.
@@ScreamingEagleFTW Thanks. No gallery currently, but thanks for the idea. Maybe I could set one up somewhere ...
At 11:50 you mention your favorite corvette tutorial, who is so I can find it? Thank you.
Great info. Can you shoot over info for floor mats and your stereo? I have a92 as well.
Thanks for the good info.
Your info plaque may be incorrect, Comp is 10.5 : 1, I just bought a 92, been waiting all winter to start rebuilding.
Kyb are better for cruising but if you want to take a corner bilsteins are better i changed mine to kyb it road less ruff but did not handle as well as the stiffer stock bilsteins when i pushed my vette a hard right into a corner the kybs in front extended up & the passenger front tire started wheel hoping up and down because the kybs extended and that tire lost traction bilsteins would Not have done that they would have kept that tire planted to the ground thats why they come stock GM wants the vette to handle best it can.
Can you make a video on Jacking up the corvette and placing the jack stands
Sorry for the delay in replying. I'll have to think about that one. All I can offer now is that I read up on it as much as I could and am always very careful not to hurt myself or the car. You might try Corvette Forum bulletin boards (which may show up in a Google search).
Good video,shows me i need to change my original shocks on my 89.Ride is too hard.
Thanks. Have you done a push-on-the fender test to see if its the shocks vs springs?. Mine was more of an unsettled (rattle'y ride) than a hard ride. The old shocks were letting it 'ring' too long (about 2 or 3 down-up-down movements before it settled) The new ones helped by decreasing that to just a single down-up (critically damped system). Alas it didn't change the harshness going over some sharp bumps. Still a good cornering car, and that's the price to be paid :-)
Did you Chrom dip those Wheels? If so, roughly how much did it cost? I like that look over stock.
Great job. Thanks
Excellent video, appreciate the quantitative data along with the subjective impressions. Now that you have had the shocks in the car for several months, are you still happy with them, and has the car returned completely to the pre-change ride height has it settled lower?
Thanks. Interesting question. I just ran to the garage and checked. It's still sitting at 27.0 inches - so no change after the initial settling. I am definitely still happy with the shocks. The ride has gotten no worse and no better since they were installed, and I still feel the ride is much improved over the 26 year old Bilsteins removed in the vid, without noticeable loss of cornering (but I'm not a track person). But I'm hanging onto those in case someone in the future wants to refurb them and the actuators. Won't be me though. I like the KYBs :-)
Appreciate the response. I am considering the KYB to replace my Bilsteins since I not longer compete with the car and they are a little harsh. Mine 1990 Z51 was Autocrossed for twenty years with four championships on her, but I have returned her to street use only since rebuilding the engine after blowing it up during a Pro Solo. I still want good handling, and don't expect sedan ride profiles. The cost savings on the KYB over the replacement Bilsteins is significant now that I am retired. Thanks again for the response.
@@MegawattKS now that you are through the summer and getting ready to put her away for the winter, do you have an update on the performance of the shocks? Thanks.
@@ThorinOakenshieldGSD2023 Fortunately I don't have to put her away for the winter. We don't have snow (or salt) on the ground very often in the winter and as long as it stays near or above freezing, I still take her out on weekends if the roads are clear :-) On the shocks issue I haven't noticed any changes, so I'm still happy with them (not that there was a night-and-day change other than improving the damping - springs are still what they are). If you decide to try them, I hope you find them to provide what you're looking for. If nothing else, they are cheap (and made by a company that's big enough that I feel like they're OK). As you can see in the video, they aren't quite as beefy as the Bilsteins, and the hub-attach on the fronts is a little cheaper (notches instead of holes). But for somewhat spirited and non-spirited driving around town, they've been great.
What did you do with the shock sensor?
Assuming we're talking about the warning light - I was fortunate that someone had already disabled it (don't know how unfortunately). At least I tested to see what would happen by pulling the plug to an actuator before I started the job and no light came on. So it was disabled, or maybe the system didn't see an open circuit as an issue ?
Also replace the old tires would make a big difference. They look 20 years old.
Great use of an accelerometer in a tablet. I wonder if you used a smaller Android device with less weight / mass if you might get more granular data? Thx for doing the research, we also need new shocks on our C4 and are overwhelmed at all the choices.
Great question. It's definitely important to know if we're seeing the tablet-bounce or the wheel/car bounce in the graphs. A phone might give somewhat different results (I would guess higher-frequency accelerometer noise). The granularity (in time) was limited by the App's max storage and hence time / sample-rate. I think it was sampling fast enough. But I wish I had better dampened the tablet in the earlier trials before changing the shocks. Later I threw some old bluejeans on top of it to try to press it down better. That could account for some of the improvements seen in the before and after - but I'm still convinced it feels much better to the driver after the shocks were changed, so I think the data is generally valid (although the apparent wheel-hop frequency does seem a little high relative to what Dave McLellan's "Corvette from the Inside" book suggests ...).
Great data presentation smart idea
So are you happy with your choice?does it ride smoother?thing about putting these on my 95 vette.
Yes. For my use I'm definitely happy with the results. I don't put that many miles on the car, and don't do track. But for around town enjoyment of the Corvette machine, I feel like they provide a good compromise. The car still corners better than any other car I've used, and the ride is noticeably better. But they will not make a night-and-day difference in the ride. They just settled it very nicely. Hard springs are still there of course. And the new shocks are not as beefy as the originals, as can be seen in the video - so maybe not great for track use?
Finally got around to installing these shocks last week, the ride is so much better.
What was the name of that website you mention? Sounded like ONStar... I have a 93 C4 and am always looking for info. I used the same KYB shocks, btw. I agree, they're not miraculous but an improvement. Cool data you collected, thanks for sharing it.
The guy's TH-cam channel is "Ozzstar". He has lots of videos on cars, but only some are for the C4 Corvette. Here's one: I like his 'sidekick' he call "Chaos". We all have known him at some point or another as we try to remove bolts/etc. Here's one of his vids: th-cam.com/video/MLmobQfZ43c/w-d-xo.html . Hope you enjoy your C4 as much as I do mine !
Ha ha.. I thought he said onstar too.
How would I go about getting the sticker and build sheet from the museum?
Go here www.corvettemuseum.org/learn/library-archives/build-sheets-window-stickers/ - or maybe give them (National Covette Museum) a call if you don't want to order over the internet. I'm sure they will be happy to help. :-) In either case, you'll need the car's VIN which you can find on the driver-side base of the windshield (or a few other places like in the vehicle registration/etc.). Couldn't hurt to cross-check to be sure the numbers are recorded precisely.
Did you get a dash code when you disconnected the FX3 shock setup and went with these non FX3 shocks ?
I have no display on the driver info panel above the climate-controls, and nothing reported in the diagnostic readouts. BUT - I didn't have any lights before either, and as far as I can tell, the actuators were not working. Which lead me to believe that perhaps a previous owner (or shop) took out the bulb for the selective-ride-control stuff. I think there is a test it does each time you start up the car (operating and sensing the shock-control rotation angle). I did check it immediately after unplugging the front actuators and nothing lit up :-)
Koni is the best!!!!
Hank Hill without the accent
Thupity, thupity, thump, ouch. Terrible pavement.
You should drive it without shocks, I'm going to take all mine off my vette and go for a ride with my cowboy hat
Your ride control actuators are shot
Agreed (gears stripped), but the shocks were shot too. 26 years and 112,000 miles took their toll on those Bilsteins. The damping was too light (multiple bounces after pushing down). Now the damping is restored and after driving it for a few months I can honestly say it is both more comfortable and better controlled in spirited driving :-)
KYB's are the worst shocks you can put on a C4
You should move to a different town.
Wrong....